1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a retractable coat hook and, in particular, to a retractable coat hook that can be mounted on a structure, such as a wall panel or a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Some structures, such as furniture, and automobiles, have one or more coat hooks for hanging a garment. The coat hook may be of a type that pivots downward from a stored position into an operative position. The coat hook may, alternatively, slide out from the stored position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,423 discloses a push-push vehicle clothes hook assembly in which the coat hook moves linearly out from a cavity in the roof rail to a hanging or operative position. When the coat hook is in the operative position, the cavity is exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,469 discloses a coat hook assembly including a coat hook that pivots outward from an opening in the roof rail to a hanging or operative position. As this occurs, a separate closure panel pivots relative to the coat hook to a position filling the opening, to provide a finished appearance to the vehicle interior.
The present invention is an apparatus comprising a hook member for connection with a structure. The hook member is supported for pivotal movement from an opening and from a stored position to an operative position. The hook member has a hook portion adapted to support a garment when the hook member is in the operative position. The hook member has a closure portion fixed for pivotal movement with the hook portion, the closure portion blocking the opening when the hook member is in the operative position. The apparatus also comprises a latch mechanism for releasably holding the hook member in the stored position. The latch mechanism is responsive to a pushing force on the hook member when the hook member is in the stored position to release the hook member for pivotal movement from the stored position to the operative position.